Dawn of Darkness
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: Survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. But when survival demands sacrifice, is the price too high? Rejecting the village and everyone else, what challenges will Naruto face as the Akatsuki finally begins to mobilize? NarutoxHaruna.


**A/N: Well, I finally a managed to get around to a challenge MKTerra gave me a while back...hope you like. Sorry if it is short, this is the teaser!**

Spring evenings were great things. Especially the ones where the brutal bite of winter had finally faded into warmer currents and birds sang in competition for their mates. Now it was the evening, the sun bidding the day farewell in a sky painted in brilliant pinks and oranges and other colors no artist could ever draw from his pastel.

_The color of blood._

Now it was the evening; the sun forgotten and the darkness hard on its heels. Shadows stretched and shrank; fading and elongating as the brilliant orb of burning gold buried itself beyond the horizon and left blackness behind. Basked in this glow, the heavens burned a bright and lustrous gold before fading into obscurity; creating an impossible violet veil as the light of the day retired. Surrending all of its many duties to the world, bequeathing them to its sister, the moon, the daylight died.

And then there was only shadow.

Shrouded within these shadows, a young woman sat at a desk and awaited her end. She did not give heed to the glorious view at her back; her attention riveted upon whitetened kunckles and sharp stabs of furious agony within her breast. She swallowed, suppressing her rising gorge as the steady _thump-thump-thump_ of explosions resonated just beyond her chambers; the sounds of celebration and jubilation eliciting a small smile from their otherwise imperturpable damiyo.

Today marked the second anniversary of her succession to her father's role as Feudal Lord.

_'So its been two years already..._

Strangely enough, the thought was not all that satisfying.

She sat behind her desk, awaiting some new pertaining to some peasant with some squabble with another; secretly hoping for any news regarding the sudden dissappearance of a certain shinobi. It was a fools hope to tunk that any man would survive such a wound. Yes, it was a fool's hope. Foolish and incompetent. Because he'd been gone for two years, supposedly long since dead. _Supposedly dead,_ she reminded herself; chewing at her tongue, rolling it around with her front teeth until she tasted blood. Her figners drummed incessantly against the deks, and suddenly, she couldn't bear to be still. She stood up and started pacing again; heedless to a thin trail of moisture trickling down her cheek.

_Drip_.

The lamp traced her movements in an eerie shadow that swung back and forth across the wall.

_Drip._

Six paces one way.

_Drip._

Sixes paces back.

_Drip._

The shadow hesitated, stopped and started, cling to her like a nightmare. She raised her hands and hunched her shoulders and the shadow grew into a monster. She dropped her hands, thinking she was seeing things, not a second shadow. Not here, when all the doors were locked, all the windows barred and shut, as she prepared to retire for the evening. She scrubbed at her eyes with the back of a hand, determined to drive the delusion from them.

_Drip._

"Maybe I am a fool." She mumbled aloud. "Just a stupid hopeless-

_Drip._

"Don't make that face." A voice crackled acrss the room; it was a soft, amused sound. It snatched a sob from her lips and replaced it with a small moue of pain as her shadow inexplicably doubled and did a little jig with its feet. Revealed was the prescence of another, behind her, hands jammed defiantly into both pockets, his figure stooped, hunched from the motion. "I've got three broken ribs and you don't see me bawling my eyes out, do you?"

_Drip_.

She lurched upward, cold sweat beading her face.

_Drip._

The sound came from outside.

_Drip._

Every instinct in her body screamed for her to move faster than she already was, flinging herself from the last remnants of sleep. By some instinct or another, she flung the door open as well, hurtling down the steps that led to her garden descending the spiraling staircase that would undoubtedly lead toward her destination.

She cast her thoughts of the past aside as she reached the second staircase, the stone steps plunging silently into the darkness below. Her face created no movement as her vision swept over what little light remained. The key rattled in the lock and the iron gate clanged dully as she flung it open. She found her mind wandering not to the memories of her peaceful reign, but to the despicable man that lay spralwed amongst the flowerbed in the only occupied cell below.

_Drip._

"Are you really going to make me chase you while I'm bleeding to death..._Haruna?" _The voice repeated, ending in a small wheeze.

She froze, blinked, and her sanity deserted. Just like that, she was lost, her mind absconding with her pride and confidence; completing her last sentient thought as she set foot into the garden. No. It was not possible. Not possible. Had he been there the entire time? A lone teardrop struck the grass and shattered; leaving the intruder's shadow to flinch; the head jerking aside as though he'd been slapped. Without being made aware of it, she turned, orbs of garnet and violet flying wide with surprise unworthy of words as she beheld her supposed stalker.

"Yo." He raised a hand in greeting from the corner of her peripheals, but seemed to regret it almost immediately, his face contracting in pain from the motion. "Nrgh...nice sunset, isn't it?"

Sprawled amongst the glades and the breeze; gentle gusts of wind tickling his nose with his platinum blond tresses, a lone figure could just barely be seen. He lay there, contented, bleeding slow and painfully from wounds so severe that he sould have died on the spot. Her gazre swept over him, lingering warily upon the falcata clutched within a fist, the khopesh belted to his waist, and a host of a weaponry at which she hadn't the time to marvel.

Disbelief and recognition consumed her as her gaze fell upon his face, captured in the last fading ray of sunlight. She lingered there for a moment, carving the sunset into her mind and burning his face into her brain lest this turn out to be another dream; another petty decpetion kept within the pitiable anals of her memory and glorious life itself here within her garden. Had anyone happened by, they might have mistaken her response for fear. Smoldering garnet irises flew wide with horror as she cried out; a sound of dismay and relief and joy and disbelief that had scarce started before he raised a hand, the sharp side to side motioning bidding her be silent.

"SH!" He hushed,

"I'm...fine." He coughed up a bloody glob into what little light remained, patiently observed the aforementioned spectalce from the safety and shelter of the shade. "I just need...some time to heal." If that were the case, then she might have screamed yet again when she watched his wounds began to smoke and snarl and spit as his body did the strangest thing. He did not shudder, nor did he give that final death rattle as he passed on into the next life without explanation.

_He began to regenerate._

His clothing was plain; the featurless cloak marred with thick tears, blooded from where various cutting implements had been thrust. _No longer._ Though the blood remained, for every second that she stared; gawped at his recovery, he gained strength. Eventually even the blood disappeared, slithering back into his flesh, his cheeks bearing only the slightest stain, a fleck of crimson across the chin. Frowing, at this sole and singular blemish, he reached for the scarlet spittle and dabed at it with two fingers, the digits coming away bloody. Clanking uselessly on his right wrist, the shackles_-why was he in chains-_swung lazily back and forth as he dabbed his hands amongst the dew soaked grass and dried them; leaving her determined to divert her attention from this handsome youth as he began to pull himself to his feet, right before her very eyes.

_'Incredible..._

"I was wondering about that offer." He murmured, blood streaking from his lips as he wiped it away; leaving his skin utterly pristine and flawless once more, Stooping, straightening as he bend upon either knee, he forced himself to his feet. Pausing only to yawn, he reached for the broken manacle adjourning his right wrist, and snapped it in half as though it weighed no more than a leaf. He held little love for the cumbersome restraint apparently; casting it down the moment he'd freed himself.

...It _is_ still good, right?" He asked genially, heedless of her confusion.

This was exactly how one of the most powerful men in the world would act. They wouldn't be surrounded by bodygaurds in some iron fortress. They'd be completely relaxed in a peaceful area of their own choosing. They would have no defenses, because they don't need any. This was such a man; who was not a man at all. Ragged blond locks jutted behind frayed black fabric; eclisping a tattered and familair visage beneath.

Silence defied the emotions broiling between them and this scene itself became amazing.

Two of the most powerful entities in the world; one capable of destroying the whole world if he so chose, the other, in command of an _entire nation._ These individuals, a man and a woman, existed on two different sides of the spectrum. She was flawless in her beauty, save for the tears staining her cheeks. He was donwright _feral_ in appearance, battered, bloodiedd, abashed as he self-concsiously thumbed at his hitiate; a thumb and fore-finger absentmindedly_ -lazily-_ tracing the jagged scratch that marred the metal headband.

"So about that offer...is it still good?"

Her eyes swiveled, leveling upon him with a terrifying numbness. Under that baleful they had once been the most bitter of opponents before becoming the most unlikely of friends. It would seem that old grudges had not been forgotten. Vindictive violet met stern sapphire as the woman removed her arms from her robes; this gesture so sudden that the newcomer had zero chance of escape. Cold and frozen, he stiffened, eyes shooting wide as he braced himself for an attack.

She stopped, transfixed, peering into his eyes. She touched his face. Her eyes went wide. _"Naruto?"_ She whispered. She put a hand to a tree to steady herself, _devoid_ of composure. "_Naruto!"_ She flung herself at him so him so fast he almost tried to block her attack. Then she was squeezing him. He stood stock still, his mind refusing to understand for a long moment: she was hugging him. Abashed, it was the best thing he'd ever felt, and would ever remember feeling.

The falcata fell from his hand and clattered uselessly to the floor with an audible plop. It skittered across the stone and gravel and dirt, out of reach. Abashed, he felt arms fling themselves around his neck, and then there was only the crunch of gravel beneath his feet.

He couldn't make himself move, couldn't think; he simply felt.

The smooth skin of her cheek brushed against his scruffy, whiskered one. Her hair filled his nostrils with the clean scent of delight and disbelief. She hugged him fiercely, the notes of strong hard arms joining with supple firm stomach and back joining with the pure feminine softness of her chest pressed against his making a chord of perfect acceptance.

He flew.

Literally.

His back scraped against the tree, dragging against the bark as his shoulders slowed the momentum of his skid. He tried to fling his arms out; slapping them against the ground to reduce the damgage of his fall, and realized with a sudden swiftness that they too, were locked.

Tentatively, he lifted his hands from his sides and touched her back. He tasted salt on his lips, the bitter acrid taste serving to sour the moment before he realized the truth of what it was. A tear, his tear. His chest convulsed uncontrollably, and suddenly he was sobbing. He grabbed her and Haruna squeezed him harder still. He felt her crying too; staccato breaths shaking her slender frame. And for a moment, just a moment, the world was reduced to a single hug, reunion, joy, and acceptance.

"Naruto." When she spoke_-gods her voice was perfect-_angels chorused and demons wept. "You're late."

And then it all came crashing down.

What had he done to deserve this? He'd come here as the most foul sort of miscreant, and here he was showered with not anger as he'd expected, but kindness? He had nothing to give her, yet she treated him like a human being. This was a woman who had almost died because of his arrogance and his stupidity, his success now made failure. The only ugliness in her life was him; because of him, his sudden arrival bringing her to the point of shedding these tears.

He'd set aside his guilt two years ago when he'd politely declined her offer to rebuild her country. Now, that very guilt threatened to throw him into hell. He raged and was made impotent; riveted as he where he stood, doing his best to ignore his wounds; a the itching,trickling from his wounds, eyes dowcnast.

_No_.

He'd put her here, with these people who adored her, where she could afford to shed a lonely little tear. _She_ had made her own choices to become who she was, but _he_ had made the choices possible. If there was only one good thing he'd done, it was this, because-

"Come." Everything unravelled as a hand closed upon his own; wound the fingers together, and pulled. "We have much to discuss." She heaved a breath, her words dragging the blond from his distant reverie of recompense and regret with an unmerciful swiftness. Unable to reclaim his balance, the shinobi staggered half a step forward before he seemed to realize her eyes were still shining. Despite the many questions he knew she had brimming underneath that pleasant smile and those unshed tears.

"I trust you won't mind sharing my quarters for the evening?" She let the statment hand, unadorned, between them. "We can discuss your current predicament in the morn."

"But-

Naruto stumbled and somehow remembered to recover his falcata before she tugged at his hand again. Scarce had his hand closed around the hilt of his weapon than he looked into her eyes. He felt a flaming furious burning senasation in his cheeks. A blush. Blushing! That only made it worse. The smile passed and a look of profound sorrow stole over her face. He tried to form the words, but he was only able to sheathe his sword by the time he said something that sounded like:

"Wait you really ought to concern yourself with-

"Why should I be concerned?" She laughed, not at him in his discomfort, but a laugh of such innocent joy that it pained him. Her laugh, like her voice, was low, and it brushed over him like the cool wind of the night as the sun hid his his face from the world and wrapped himself in the mountains and forests as his blanket.

As his sister, the moon, revealed her face to the world, even she was outshone by the Damiyo of the Land of Vegetables.

"You've returned. " Her smile was marchless as she led him within. "That's all that matters in my eyes."

The blond swallowed.

"Tomorrow?" He sounded plainitive.

"Yes, tomorrow."

He swallowed as he was led within, the sounds of the night already welling up around and outside them both.

"Then tomorrow I'll tell you how I got fucked over by my own village.

**A/N: Well, this is a challenge from MKTerra. I figured I would fill it while I'm still able due to my health issues. Note, this Naruto is SHIPPUDEN naruto, so pleaese no spazzing. als, review please, i worked super hard on this...!**


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